Humanity

Origins

Initially, both Greek and Latin formed the basis of the four-year Arts degree at the University, along with various branches of Philosophy, all taught by the first Regent of Philosophy, Robert Rollock (1555-1599. When it became apparent that potential students did not know enough Latin to follow his lectures, Glasgow graduate Duncan Nairn was appointed to be the second Regent, specifically to teach them. Within four years of the University opening its doors, a further position of Regent of Humanity was established with John Ray (c1577-1630). Regents of Philosophy and Humanity covered the entire curriculum for the next 120 years, until the University’s reorganisation in 1708, when another Regent, William Scott "primus" was appointed to the new new Chair of Greek and Laurence Dundas (1662-1734) to the Chair of Humanity (aka Latin).

List of Professors

Laurence Dundas (1662-1734), 1708.

Adam Watt, 1728.

John Ker, 1734.

George Stuart (c1715-1793), 1741-1775

John Hill (c1747-1805), 1775-1805

Alexander Christison (1753-1820), 1806-1820

James Pillans (1778-1864), 1820-1863

William Young Sellar (1825-1890), 1863-

Harry Chester Goodhart (1858-1895), 1890-1895

William Ross Hardie (1862-1916), 1895-

Other People

• Literary forger, William Lauder (c1680-1771), applied unsuccessfully to succeed Adam Watt, having previously been his assistant.
• Christian James Fordyce (1901-1974), later Professor of Humanity at the University of Glasgow, was Lecturer in Humanity, 1926-1927.

Sources

• Lee, Sidney (Ed.), Dictionary of National Biography (1892), vol. 32, p. 200